1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an airbag device, provided below the pad of a seat cushion in a vehicle, which deploys upwards at the time of a vehicle collision to restrain the forward motion of an occupant.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-115441, filed on Apr. 19, 2006, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-115442, filed on Apr. 19, 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
Among airbag devices having a bag (airbag) which deploys at the time of a vehicle collision are devices in which a bag is provided below the pad of a vehicle seat cushion, and which cause the pad to be distended by upward deployment thereof, to restrain forward motion of the pelvis of an occupant. Among such airbag devices are devices which control the deployed shape of the bag by means of an enveloping member (see for example Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2004-359207). Such an airbag device causes the enveloping member to envelop the bag with a fixed peripheral length.
However, because the above-described enveloping member envelops the bag with a fixed peripheral length, the deployed shape of the bag can only be constrained to a cylindrical shape.
Furthermore, an airbag device which restrains forward motion of the pelvis of an occupant has a structure in which the airbag is provided within a depressed area formed in the seat pan, and a cover is mounted on the seat pan so as to cover the depressed area (see for example Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2005-126051).
However, on occasion an occupant may spill a beverage or other liquid onto the vehicle seat. In such cases, when an airbag device with the above-described structure is installed, the liquid, having penetrated the pad of the seat cushion, may travel along the seat pan and enter the depressed area from the gap between the cover and seat pan by means of capillary action, and may result in inundation up to the airbag.